Picture frame assembly



NOV 3, 1966 a. J. PEARLMAN 3,283,431

PICTURE FRAME ASSEMBLY Filed oct. v, 1964 United States Patent O 3,283,431 PICTURE FRAME ASSEMBLY Benjamin J. Pearlman, 705 E. 80th St., Brooklyn, N.Y. Filed Oct. 7, 1964, Ser. No. 402,076 1 Claim. (Cl. 40-152) The present invention relates to a dobule-faced picture frame assembly.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a frame assembly whereby both sides or both surfaces of an article within the frame may be visible.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a frame assembly of the described type which can be manufactured and sold at a relatively low cost and which will have along and useful life.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a frame assembly of novel construction which permits for the observation and examination of both surfaces of a picture postcard or the like.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art from a `consideration of the following specification taken in connection with the appended dra-wings.

In the drawings which illustrate the best modes presently contemplated for carrying out the invention:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevation of apicture frame assembly pursuant to the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a rear elevation view of the picture frame assembly;

FIGURE 3 is an exploded view of the picture frame assembly;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional View on an enlarged scale taken on the line 4 4 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary view similar to FIGURE 4 with portions broken away for purposes of illustration and illustrates a modification; and

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on the line 6 6 of FIGURE 5.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, there is shown a picture frame assembly 10` pursuant to the present invention. As best shown in FIGURE 3, the picture frame assembly 10 comprises a frame member 12, a glass panel 14 for the frame member 12, a mat 16, a postal card 18,

a transparent plastic panel 20, a positioning mat 22, and

a finishing mat 24.

Picture frame 12 is of conventional construction and is provided with the frame recess 26 which is adapted to receive elements 14, 16, 18, 20, 22 and 24. The frame 12 is provided with a front retainer 28 which extends about the opening 30 therein. At the rear thereof the frame is provided with a conventional hanger 32. In addition, bendable mounting tabs 34 are provided within the frame recess 26 and extend laterally therefrom.

The transparent glass panel 14 is a conventional frame panel and is adapted to sit Within the recess 26 in abutment with the retainer 28 and fills or closes the frame opening 30.

The element 16 is a conventional picture frame mat preferably formed of cardboard or paperboard and is provided with mat opening 35.

As here shown, the article to be framed within the frame assembly 10 is a conventional postal card 18 having the picture 36 on the front surface thereof and having the writing area 38 on the rear surface thereof. The postal card 18 is suitably secured through the mat 16 as by means of adhesive members 40.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that after the glass panel 14 is inserted into the frame recess 26 in abutment with the frame retainer 28, the mat 16 on the rear surface of which there is mounted the postal card 18, is then inserted into the recess 26 in abutment with the glass panel 14 so that the picture surface 36 of the postal 3,283,431 Patented Nov. 8, 1966 ice card 18 is visible from the front of the frame 12 through the glass of panel 14.

The rear surface 38 of the postal card is then covered by means of the transparent panel 20 which is inserted into the recess 26 to overlie the writing surface 38 of the postal card. It is preferable that the transparent panel 20 be formed of a suitable plastic material such as for example and not by way of limitation, a suitable acetate which will have sufiicient flexibility to mold itself to the rear surface 38 of the postal card 18 and thus eliminate any bulges or irregularities within the acetate panel 20.

After the acetate panel 20 has been inserted into the recess 26, the retainer mat 22 is then inserted into the recess 26 so as to overlie the transparent panel 20. It will be noted that the retainer mat 22 is provided with an opening 42 which exposes the transparent panel 20 through which the rear surface 38 of the article 18 is visible.

The finishing mat 24 is then inserted into the recess 26 and overlies the retainer mat 22 so as to substantially completely fill the recess 26 as best indicated in FIG. 4.

As best seen in FIG. 4, the securing tabs 34 are embedded into the preferably wooden frame 12 and extend outwardly from the recess 36 defined therein. After the mat 24 has been positioned within the recess 26 in overlying relation relative to the mat 22, the projecting portion of the three tabs 34 are then bent inwardly or downwardly as indicated bythe arrows of 43. From the broken line position thereof shown in FIG. 6 to the full line position thereof so as to overlie the mat 24 and retain the various elements mounted within the recess 26 in assembled relation.

With the various elements -assembled Within the frame 12 as described, it will be noted from FIG. l that the picture surface 36 of the postal card 18 is readily visible through the glass panel 14. In addition, the rear surface 38 of the postal card 18 is also visible through the transparent panel 20. Consequently, it will be apparent that the frame assembly 10 permits for ready observation of both surfaces of the article 10 which is contained within the frame 12. It will also Ibe noted that the frame assembly 10 comprises a neat and efiicient package. From the front thereof, viewing FIG. 1, it appears to be an ordinary picture frame. From the rear thereof, viewing FIG. 2, the rear surface of the article 18 is clearly visible and this is accomplished in a Very attractive and neat manner due to the fact that the plastic panel 20 molds to the picture article 18 without any buckling or deformations therein and this results from the fact that the mats 22 and 24 are also retained in firm securement against the transparent panel 20 at four spaced points by the four tabs 34 as best shown in FIG. 2.

Referring now to FIGURES 5 and 6 in detail, there is shown a modified picture frame assembly 10. It will be noted that the picture frame assembly 10 contains all of the elements of the picture frame assembly 10 with the exception of the finisher mat 24. It will be understood that all of the elements common to picture frame assembly 10 which are included in picture frame assembly 10A are assembled and mounted in exactly the same manner as previously described in connection with picture frame assembly 10. However, in lieu of the finisher mat 24 which is inserted into the recess 26, the picture frame assembly 10A is provided With a nishing layer 46 which is preferably formed of paper or other suitable sheet material. The finishing paper layer 46 is similar to the finishing mat 24 only in that like the mat 24 which is provided with an opening 44 through which the transparent panel 20 is visible, the finishing layer 46 is provided also with an opening 48 through which the transparent member 20 is visible. The inner surface of the finishing paper layer 46 is provided with a suitable adhesive which is indicated by the reference numeral A50 in FIG. 5. By means of the adhesive 40, the finishing paper layer 46 which has the same di mensions as the frame member 12, is adhesively secured both to the rear surface of the frame member 12 as well as to the rear or outer surface of the mat 22, as best shown in FIG. 6. In addition, it will be noted that the frame member 12 is provided with a plurality of preferably metallic securing elements 56 which are urged therein and which project therefrom to overlie the mat 22 at spaced points as best shown in FIG. 6 so as to retain the mat 22 and the elements inserted prior thereto into the recess 26 in assembled relation. Consequently it will be apparent that the finishing paper 46 completely encompasses the rear surface of the frame member 12 and also exposes the transparent panel 20 through which the rear surface 38 of the article 18 is visible.

In View of the forgeoing, it will be apparent that there has been illustrated and described a highly novel picture frame assembly by means of which the opposite surfaces of a post card or other article contained within a picture frame assembly may be observed, the assembly being formed of a series of relatively inexpensive and conventional elements. It will be understood that various changes and modifications may be made within the picture frame assembly of the present invention without however departing from the basic inventive concept thereof as set forth in the appended claim.

I claim:

A picture frame assembly comprising a picture frame having a front opening over a rear recess, a first transparent panel mounted in said recess to close said openings,

ay first mat mounted in said recess, the front surface of said mat being in abutment with the rear surface of said first panel, a at article secured to the rear surface of said mat so that the front surface of said article is visible through said first panel, a second transparent panel mounted in said recess in abutment with the rear surface f sheet material member having a cut-out through which the rear surface of said article is visible through said sec-` ond panel.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS t 1,381,762 6/1921 Starr 40-152 2,050,136 8/1936 Tucker et al. 40-l52.1 2,807,110 9/1957 Buedingen 40-156 3,041,762 7/1962 Knox 40-152 3,161,975 12/1964 McMillan 40-152 FOREIGN PATENTS 196,480 3/ 1908 Germany.

EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner.

W. I. CONTRERAS, Assistant Examiner. 

